March 28, 2023
VRFish Chair, Rob Loats has been recognised by Waterwatch Victoria for his long term monitoring of water quality throughout North Central Victoria. Rob was presented with an Outstanding Service Award after more than 27 years of voluntary monitoring of the health of the North Central’s creeks, rivers, channels and wetlands. The Waterwatch program aims to engage people participate in river and wetland health monitoring activities.
https://www.vic.waterwatch.org.au/
Rob is passionate about the health of waterways and how it directly influences recreational fishing. ‘The reason I started monitoring water on behalf of the Donald Angling Club was because the recreational fishing in the lower Richardson River was becoming very poor, the water looked fine and clear, but it was salty to taste. Since moving to Swan Hill I have continued to monitor and record water quality in the Little Murray River and I have been supported magnificently by the North Central CMA staff for over 25 years.’
Rob’s work is a perfect example of the environmental connection recreational fishers have with the aquatic ecosystem and the waterways they fish in. VRFish is proud to promote environmental action and protection within our Habitat and Waterways advocacy pillars. VRFish members work closely with our community to ensure our waterways are maintained and healthy for the aquatic life that relies on them.
